This invention relates generally to games of skill requiring eye-hand coordination, and more specifically to a club-like apparatus for bouncing, throwing, catching and scooping one or more elastomer balls.
Both children and adults are attracted to games and sports that require or develop eye-hand coordination and which can be played either alone or in groups. One such game/sport is “foot bag,” (e.g., Hacky Sack®) where a ball-like bean bag is bounced, tossed and caught using only the feet. Unfortunately, this activity requires a high degree of coordination and agility and it is difficult to master for most people. Young children are unlikely to have the necessary coordination and many adults are unlikely to have the necessary agility. Thus, their attempts to learn will often end in frustration and failure.
Another example of a difficult-to-master skill is one that has become popular with the rise of a well-known professional golfer. This golfer has the uncanny ability to scoop a golf ball from the ground with his golf club, and bounce and catch the ball on the face of the club, much as a skilled foot bag player can bounce and catch the foot bag on his foot. He regularly entertains his fans with demonstrations of this skill, and many fans would like to emulate this skill, even if they have no interest in playing golf. However, it is too difficult for most of them.
Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus that can be used by both children and adults that facilitates the development of the coordination and agility that are required to perform these and other similar activities.